KATHMANDU: With political activity heating up ahead of the upcoming by-election for a House of Representatives seat, the Nepali Congress (NC) has dispatched its General Secretary, Bishwa Prakash Sharma, to Rupandehi-3 to assess the local situation.
The by-election is scheduled for November 3, and Sharma arrived in Butwal on Monday evening for consultations with party leaders and cadres. According to Rupandehi regional president Sushil Gurung, Sharma’s primary task is to study the ground reality, gather feedback from grassroots leaders, and help the party decide on the most favorable candidate.
This is Sharma’s second visit to the constituency in recent weeks. In early August, he spent four days in Rupandehi holding internal discussions with the provincial and district committees, regional leaders, general convention representatives, and sister organizations. At that time, he avoided formal public programs, instead focusing on election-centered deliberations.
Following Sharma’s earlier visit, NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba convened a meeting of office bearers and former officials in Kathmandu on August 25, where local leaders briefed the central leadership on the evolving political landscape in Rupandehi-3.
The constituency includes wards 14 to 19 of Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City and wards 7 and 8 of Mayadevi Rural Municipality. It was previously represented by Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) leader Deepak Bohara, who defeated NC’s Bal Krishna Khand in the 2022 general election with 36,717 votes to Khand’s 34,036. Bohara, who had run with CPN-UML’s backing, passed away in March this year, triggering the by-election.
Vote tallies from both direct and proportional contests underline the constituency’s competitiveness. While the NC led the proportional count with over 20,000 votes, UML secured nearly 17,000, RPP gained just over 9,000, and the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) polled more than 14,000. Other parties, including the Nagarik Unmukti Party and Janamat Party, also showed measurable support in 2022.
Gurung confirmed Sharma’s current visit is clearly election-focused: “He is here to understand the local context, consult party colleagues, and ensure the candidate selection strengthens the NC’s chances.” Discussions have also begun on forming subcommittees to manage the campaign.
NC spokesperson Min Bishwakarma said Sharma’s deployment has full party backing. “He is carrying out tasks related to the by-election on behalf of the party. His work in Rupandehi is considered official, with an understanding among leaders to treat his findings as authoritative,” Bishwakarma told reporters.
The Election Commission has set November 3 as the polling date, with 26 political parties registered to contest in Rupandehi-3.
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